|
Registration
or Serial:
N5064
Operator: Royal Air Force
(No. 3 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit (No. 3
(O)AFU))
Operating Base:
RAF
Halfpenny Green (formerly, RAF Bobbington)
Base
Location: Bobbington, South
Staffordshire (formerly known as Worcestershire)
Current
Airport Status: Operational Private
Civil Airport
Current
Airport Name:
Wolverhampton
Halfpenny Green Airport (EGBO)
(Principal airport data courtesy of
John Woodside,
A
Catalogue of UK Airfields)
Aircraft Type Nickname: Faithful Annie
Aircraft Type & Background
The Avro
Anson was an adaptation of the civilian Avro 652 aircraft in use by Imperial
Airways.
The Anson
was the first aircraft in RAF service with a retractable
undercarriage. The aircraft was flown initially by No. 48 Squadron
of RAF Coastal Command.
The Anson
was used for coastal reconnaissance and maritime patrol; and,
latterly, for crew training, light transport, and communications
purposes. Among crew members, however, the Avro Anson was considered to
be a cold, draughty and very noisy aircraft.
Although
the Anson aircraft was solidly-built and reliable, it was nevertheless slow
and vulnerable to attack. For this and other reasons, it was
inevitable that the Anson would be replaced—as indeed it was, with
the Lockheed Hudson bomber.
Later
generations of Ansons (the Avro Anson C.19 series) remained in use
with the RAF until 1968.
Usually,
Mark I Ansons were powered by two 350hp Armstrong Siddeley
Cheetah radial engines. Occasionally, however, other types would be
substituted. The aircraft had a top speed of about 188 mph (164
knots or 303 km/h) at 7,000 ft (2,100 m).
Aircraft Accident Details
Earlier in its
lifetime, Avro Anson N5064 spent some time with
320 and
321 (Dutch) Squadrons, and with No. 14 OTU before being
transferred to No 3 (O) AFU based at RAF Halfpenny Green.
While with the Dutch
Squadrons, the Anson was involved in an accident on 22 July 1941,
but was restored and returned to service.
At the time of the
accident recorded here, the Anson was on a ferry flight between
bases. However, in bad weather and poor visibility, the aircraft
descended too low and flew into Gallow Hill, a few miles north of
Dundee, Scotland.
The pilot, Flt Sgt
Kenneth George Mayne (28),
RAFVR, was killed in the accident. His body was laid to rest in Ford
Park Cemetery (Formerly, Plymouth Old Cemetery) (Pennycomequick)
|
